Katy became recognized as a town by the United States Post Office Department in 1896, but if not for the efforts of James Oliver Thomas it may have taken many more years, and the new town may have gone by a different name.

With growth in Katy ISD expected to push several high schools beyond capacity during the next five years, the district plans to open its seventh high school—which is unnamed as of press time—in the fall of 2013.

Katy’s dog park is apparently suffering from too much puppy love. Built in 2007 off Franz Road, the park is a playground where Katy canines can run off-leash. The pond was built for temporary use and has now become a cesspool.

While the sprawling highway flyovers being built for the Grand Parkway over I-10 east of Katy dominate the landscape, it is what is happening below that will have a more direct impact on the area’s residents.

For Katy area residents, it’s no surprise to hear that the area is growing rapidly. Almost every story included in this issue discusses growth in one form or another, along with its accompanying challenges and rewards.

On Jan. 1, W. A. “Andy” Meyers will be sworn in for his fifth four-year term as the Fort Bend County commissioner for Precinct 3. It is the second consecutive time he has run unopposed for the position.

It will not be long now before Katyland Drive becomes a cone zone between Hwy. 90 and Franz Road.
Thanks to mobility funds from the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Katyland will be widened from two lanes to four lanes.

Fueled by Houston’s robust energy and oil and gas sectors combined with strategic planning, Fort Bend County job growth has increased 78.1 percent from 2000 to 2011, making it the second-fastest growing county in the nation in that period.